Shut Up!
by Luinramwen
Summary: When one is always on the move, on a hopeless quest that seems to pit everything against you and seems likely to run on forever, even the little everyday things can drive one around the bend...


A/N - Sometimes writing someone out of character is fun! A nice little drabble thing to tide you over until I finally get my lazy arse into gear to type up more of _Curse You!_, finish and polish up a one-shot called _Snow_, and FINALLY get around to posting the fic that stemmed from quotage of one line of a B'Daman commercial during a TRC discussion... Pester me to update. Or I'll probably forget...

Disclaimer - don't own. I just don't. CLAMP can keep the scary kid too...

-

_"SHUT UP!"_

The scream was pure exasperation, loud and resounding. Heads turned, staring at the source of the cry; it seemed to echo even after it had ended. There were screams of hatred, screams of rage; screams that would echo and be heard around the world. This was not one of them; it was simply the scream of someone with their patience and control only hanging on with great effort to the end of their tether. And it was only heard around the marketplace.

Nevertheless... it was an impressive scream.

Silence rippled out in a wave from the small, shocked group that the scream had originated from. Shocked, that is, but for the one who still stood there, fuming, cheeks bright and flushed with aggravation, eyes glinting dangerously, hands clenched into tight, white-knuckled fists. Silence left the group, extended out into the rest of the marketplace; everyone turned to watch the drama unfold.

Nobody said anything for a long, uneasy moment. At last, the girl in the outlandish dress stepped closer, timidly, eyes both concerned and frightened.

"S - S - Syaoran-kun... are... you... all right?"

"Give me a moment, Princess," the boy said through clenched teeth. "I have _things_ that I want to say to our travelling companions."

"Syaoran-kun, please." The tall, blond, slender man held up his hands placatingly. "I think you're overreacting to a little bickering. Maybe you should sit down. Take some deep breaths. We're all under a lot of stress, you most of all -"

"_You_ sit down, shut up, and listen," snapped the boy named Syaoran. "I have had it up to _here_ with the pair of you! I mean, honestly! I'm not even of age yet and I act more mature than you! You two are _adults!_ Or supposed to be! But every time I turn around, there you are, acting like a pair of five year olds! No - I've _seen_ more mature five year olds! And always bickering and squabbling and disagreeing over every little thing - for god's sake, _just act your age!_"

"Oh, Syaoran-kun, don't take it so seriously. It's all in fun," said the blond man lightly. The other, the dark, scary warrior, growled at that, but said nothing.

"Fun? _Fun!_" Syaoran fixed the blond man with a terrifying glare. "Fai-san, there is a _limit_ to fun! Teasing is allowable, but when you push Kurogane-san into attempting to kill you and nearly succeeding _every single day of this week_ you have pushed that limit! Are you suicidal, or are you just stupid! Your mind is that of a child, I swear - the cute names, the outrageous comments, that look of complete and utter innocence _that you will stop wearing this very minute and I do mean _you_, Fai D Flowright_, or I will have to get _really_ angry!"

"S - Syaoran-kun -" tried the princess again, cautiously placing a gentle hand on his arm. Syaoran ignored it, turned to face the dark warrior.

"And _you_," he said vehemently.

"What've _I_ done?" his new victim said, almost uneasily.

"_You_." Syaoran pointed; his finger was shaking with anger. "_Here's_ a novel phrase for you - _lighten up!_ You get angry at everything and everyone, even when there's no real reason! My god! Is the world so awful? Are we so annoying that you can't stand us? Then why in the worlds are you _still following us around_ if we make you so friggin' mad! You're a perpetual thundercloud and it really, really, _really_ gets on my nerves! Ease up! Find some inner tranquility already, even if you have to knock it out of someone else! _Smile_, dammit!"

"As for _you -"_ Syaoran reached out and grabbed a tiny, round, white, rabbit-like thing by its ears as it tried to bound away out of Fai's hood and disappear into the crowd.

_"_Noooooo!" wailed the creature. "Mokona is sorry, Mokona did not want to make Syaoran angry at all!"

"Syaoran-kun! Syaoran-kun!" The girl kept tugging at his arm, her voice scared and pleading.

Finally, he seemed to notice, to rise out of his anger and notice her peering up at him anxiously. He raised an uncertain hand to his forehead. "S - Sakura-hime... what... what've I been saying... what did I _do?_..." He stumbled forward; she held him by the shoulder, cupped his cheek in one hand. He stared wildly at his stunned companions, eyes huge and guilty. "I - I'm so sorry! I lost it completely! I didn't - I mean - it wasn't - I - oh, no..." He slumped forward, forehead bumping off of Sakura's shoulder as he sagged in disbelief and embarrassment.

The applause was tremendous, and took everyone completely by surprise. All five jolted around, stunned, to stare in bewilderment at the audience that had gathered during Syaoran's rant.

"Bravo! Bravo!"

"That was really good!"

"I know! The costumes were a little over the top, but who cares? That was great!"

"Eh!"

Coins were thrown to the ground at their feet in a shower of metal, glittering in the sun. The group continued to stare, completely and utterly nonplussed.

"These street plays are true art, man! True art!"

"I just hope the rest of the Festival of the Arts is as good as this!..."

-


End file.
